12 February 2020 – The first ever framework for measuring thought leadership effectiveness was released today to mark the launch of the Thought Leadership Network (TLN), a new membership initiative from the Financial Times and Longitude.

The new framework forms a key part of TLN’s ground-breaking report, Proving our Value: Measuring the effectiveness of thought leadership. It warns marketers against focusing on short-term solutions and vanity metrics, while advocating for more sophisticated measurement models that encompass alignment, engagement and influence/impact.

The report was launched in response to feedback from senior marketers, who have consistently identified the measurement of thought leadership effectiveness as a key challenge in their roles.

Tia McPhee, Global Brand Director at the Financial Times, and a member of the advisory board for TLN, commented: “More and more global brands rely on content and thought leadership to deliver their marketing message. We know thought leadership has a real impact on business perceptions, but it remains a challenge for marketers to prove its worth. It’s vital to have tools that allow us to demonstrate the value of these initiatives.”

In a straw poll conducted by TLN on the issue, 98 per cent of senior marketers said they found thought leadership measurement highly challenging, while 82 per cent admitted to being unhappy with their current approach. Meanwhile, 86 per cent of respondents confessed to focusing on what is easiest to measure and 63 per cent said they were under pressure to show short-term returns.

“With so much confusion around how to measure thought leadership and growing pressure to demonstrate tangible returns on marketing activity, TLN’s new framework will help to raise standards and better equip marketing teams to demonstrate the value of their thought leadership campaigns. We hope our framework will empower marketers to reimagine the way they approach thought leadership and we look forward to sharing further industry-critical insights and knowledge in the future,” concluded Rob Mitchell, Chairman of the Thought Leadership Network.

The report is the first in a series to be published this year by TLN, a membership body that brings together senior marketing, communications and content professionals who engage in thought leadership campaigns. Formed by thought leadership and brand specialists from the Financial Times and Longitude, together with an independent advisory board including senior representatives from many of the world’s leading brands, such as Accenture, EY, Oracle and McKinsey, TLN offers its members exclusive access to a programme of specialist content and events, as well as networking and profile-building opportunities.

For more information on how to become a member and to access the free report, please visit: https://thoughtleadershipnetwork.com/our-latest-insight/

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About the Thought Leadership Network (TLN)

The Thought Leadership Network is a peer-to-peer community created to bring together senior marketing, communications and content professionals who engage in, or have an interest in, thought leadership. TLN provides these practitioners with the unique opportunity to connect and collaborate with a group of like-minded individuals. TLN is supported by the Financial Times and Longitude, experts in brand, audiences, content and engagement.

About the Financial Times

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity, and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of more than one million, three-quarters of which are digital subscriptions. It is part of Nikkei Inc., which provides a broad range of information, news, and services for the global business community.

About Longitude

Longitude is a specialist thought leadership agency, majority owned by the Financial Times Group, providing strategy, research and content and activation services that enhance its clients’ revenue, relationships and reputation. Servicing a wide range of the world’s most prestigious B2B brands across Europe, the US and Asia Pacific.